Continuing to expand their seemingly endless library of streaming titles, Netflix has renewed a batch of their unscripted programming shows for second seasons. The nerdy documentary series The Toys That Made Us, focusing on some of the most iconic toys from pop culture history is among them, as is the reboot of Queer Eye (no longer just for the straight guy). Read More »

Summer is coming to an end, which means soon enough you’ll be spending more time inside the house on the couch. But while the warm weather while starts to fade away, don’t forget that some of those titles you’ve been waiting to watch on Netflix will be going away in August.

The list of titles leaving the streaming service next month has been unveiled, and we rundown the best movies and TV shows that you’ll want to watch sooner than later. Check out the full list of TV shows and movies leaving Netflix in August 2017 down below. Read More »

Unless Dirty Grandpa tickled you to tears this past weekend, you probably consider this another “dump month” January. While plenty of December releases are still killing it at the box office and there’s still time to catch up on the major Award nominees, it’s more likely that you’ve been stuck with your streaming options these past few weeks. There’s no shortage of quality movies on Netflix, and a few more notable titles are coming to the streaming service soon.

Find out the best movies coming to Netflix in February 2016 after the jump.

After garnering all sorts of praise at Sundance, Rick Famuyiwa‘s Dope opened in theaters earlier this year to disappointing numbers. Apparently audiences just weren’t interested in a coming-of-age story set in inner-city Los Angeles, against a ’90s hip-hop soundtrack.

… Except, of course, they totally were, because Straight Outta Compton is currently killing it at the box office. So Open Road is making a second play for box office gold, putting Dope back in theaters this weekend. More on the Dope re-release after the jump. Read More »

Note: This review was originally published during Sundance, in January 2015.

Four days in, Rick Famuyiwa‘s Dope is the best film I’ve seen so far at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. A coming of age story for the “post hip hop generation” best described as a mix of three films: Doug Liman’s Go, Greg Mottola’s Superbad and John Singleton’s Boyz n the Hood. I’m posting this review the morning after the premiere and its being reported that six studios are rabidly bidding to distribute this film — its insanely accessible movie for a Sundance film and will sure to be a hit that lives on past its festival and theatrical runs. Read my Dope review after the jump.

You can’t make a movie like Dope without a ton of passion. Every frame, every character, every decision comes from a love not just of cinema, but for pop culture as a whole. The film’s writer and director Rick Famuyiwa is a massive film fan and geek who cites Spielberg, Lucas, and calls Back to the Future his favorite movie of all time.

However, looking as Famuyiwa’s resume, odds are you didn’t know any of that. Before making Dope, he directed The Wood, Brown Sugar and Our Family Wedding. Three financially successful films, yes, but none of which are known for Dope‘s sense of youthful exuberance. It feels like, after that formidable foray into filmmaking, Famuyiwa is finally hitting his stride. Dope is a confident film, a fun film, and a great film to discuss.

Which is exactly what we did. We spoke with Famyuiwa on the occasion of Dope, which opens Friday June 19, and talked about the film’s complex tone. Its use of pop culture references, issues with music, how it changed from its Sundance premiere to now, as well as the meaning of “geek” in the film. We broke down two of the best sequences in the movie and found out whether or not the director has been approached to make any major studio blockbusters. Below, read our Rick Famuyiwa Dope interview. Read More »

Dope has a strong retro flavor, thanks to its protagonist’s obsession with ’90s hip-hop culture. But it’s actually a thoroughly modern film, right down to its use of Bitcoin as a major plot point. In fact, it might even be a bit ahead of the game. Dope is now the first movie to allow moviegoers to pay for theatrical admission with Bitcoin. Get all the details from the Dope Bitcoin announcement after the jump. Read More »

If it seems like we’ve been pushing a lot of Dope trailers the past couple months, that’s because we firmly believe that everyone needs to see this fantastic indie teen comedy when it hits theaters starting next week.

The sensation from the 2015 Sundance Film Festival is a refreshing coming-of-age adventure from the inner-city, and it’s the kind of indie we always hope to discover on the festival circuit. So here we are with a second red band trailer showing off the lively and fun film from writer and director Rick Famuyiwa. Imagine taking Superbad and setting it in tough, urban Los Angeles, and you begin to have an idea of what Dope is like, but it also stands on its own merits. Watch the second Dope red band trailer after the jump! Read More »

Dope has been making waves since Sundance, but the first trailers have only partially showed off what’s really up with the film. This new Dope red-band trailer goes a lot further, by presenting the characters uncensored, and by showing off a lot more of the story that drives the film. It’s more than a sunny tale of three high school kids (played well by Shameik Moore, Kiersey Clemons, and Tony Revolori) trying to survive school and their neighborhood, after all. Check out the trailer below to find out more. Read More »